The year 1896 marks the beginning of a new era in the history of women’s education in India when Dr. Dhondo Keshav Karve established an ashram for widows and helpless women at Hingne near Pune. He realized that to make these women self-sufficient, self- reliant and self- confident, schooling was essential at the ashram.Karve launched a programme of schooling at ashram, which latter became regular school for girls and women. In a society governed by age old customs and conservative attitudes towards women, an institution of this type was bound to face social and economic difficulties.